Circuit of Danehill - A Marshal's Eye View

Circuit of Danehill : a Marshal's Eye View

Sunday 14th April by Paget Cohen

Decisions, decisions;  what to wear and what to ride, and I wasn't even competing.  Temperatures as high as 19 degrees were promised for later in the day, but it was half that and still raining while I was eating my breakfast.  Hoping for a group ride after the TT I resigned myself to needing mudguards which meant riding the hybrid.  The rain jacket could be stuffed in a rear pocket if necessary, but I reckoned I could just about get away with shorts for the first time in 6 months!

Safe in the knowledge I'd have time to recover I alternated spinning on the flat with powering up what climbs there are along the A272 to Maresfield.  With a few minutes in hand before I was due at my post I decided to cut through to the Batts Bridge roundabout only to find that if anyone was to be stationed there they had yet to turn up.  Ollie had promised a hi-vis bib and a start sheet which I would have found easily had I approached from the direction I'd originally intended.  Suitably kitted up and armed with a pencil and my mobile I took up position on the traffic island and waited.

First due off at 08:30 and first through at 9:03 by my timepiece was Mickey Turner who kindly thanked me for my directions when I'm sure he didn't need them.  To the best of my recollection Yuriy was next to appear and a couple of minutes up on Mickey if the start sheet was to be believed.  When Alan Lloyd shot through also up on Mr T by my calculation I had to assume that endurance training does indeed blunt speed, no disrespect Alan - great ride.

Shortly after Pete Morris flew by well up on everyone else (we are sure he didn't follow last year's route aren't we?) Ollie drove by almost as quickly and parked up to check all was well and to let me know of the late starters to look out for, including a certain Sean Yates.  He was undoubtedly quick, but by my rough estimation, even having used Hugh Procters' slipstream up the bypass, Mr Yates (Sean that is) was still down on our Pete & Dom Fuller.

By the time last PTT Martin Komen had gone through my upper body (and hands in particular) were somewhat chilly and I as a whole was in need of a cuppa.  I slowly got my gear together and, confident that those on the start sheet not past by now weren't coming at all, set off for Chelwood Gate. Apologies to Callum Middleton, but you obviously didn't need me to find your way.

As has long been the case the tarmac approaching Nutley was awful and still wet, but at least the sun was now fully out.  Passing several non-competing cyclists and one female triathlete showing off I pulled up to Chelwood Village Hall just as the distinctively attired Peter Baker rolled in from the finish.

Once sated with chat and cake myself and club-run stalwarts Mark and Ian headed off for a belated tour.  For those at all interested on what you missed out on we plunged down to join the A275 at Furner's Green then took the next right.  Down Ketche's Lane I found myself dropping Ian on the rises - he claimed he was suffering from racing to do push-off duty, but I was pleased with my form all the same.  South past The Sloop then a left towards North Chailey where I even had to stop and wait.  Once past Chailey School the 3 of us cut round the back of Newick (another summit pause), up to Piltdown Pond and into the back of Uckfield where we said our goodbyes.  Alone again once more I adopted the Gibbons-Farmer route through the back lanes enlivened only by one more sharp shower.  42 miles for the day and back in time to the clean the bike out in the sunshine before the GP rerun.